I have moved!

 

Hello everyone! It's been a long time, but I'm getting a fresh start on a new site. Click on the above image to follow me to my lovely new home on Wix.

I hope you're all safe and well.

Keep reading!

A Quick Spell release & guest post!

 

Magic.

Myths.

Fantasy.

We are bewitched by what we can't see.

Conjure delight with a fantastical collection of tales. Each story is told in exactly 200 words and designed to delight your imagination no matter how busy your day is.

Will you believe?

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

The challenge of writing short fiction.

You may think writing a 200 word story isn’t that challenging, but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Some writers may actually say it’s harder than writing a full-length novel, and I know a few who don’t write shorter fiction because they can’t wrap their brains around it. Their muse only works in long form.

Writing short fiction is different from a novel. With novels, you have an unlimited number of words you can use to paint a picture for the reader. Short fiction you have restrictions on word count. You may only have 1000 words. You can even have as little as 50. When you have that limit, you are forced to choose more carefully. Your strokes have to be broader instead of going into minute details as you can with a novel.

The way I approach short fiction is similar to my novels. I just start writing. I figure out the story as I go and when I get to the end, I edit. I edit until the story is at the word limit I’ve imposed. That’s done by cutting descriptive words. The sentence doesn’t need the color of someone’s shirt for example. Thoughts the character has might get axed as well. If it doesn’t serve the basic story I want to tell, it can go.

Sometimes that doesn’t always work. Sometimes the story I’m trying to tell needs to be longer. When that happens, I stop worrying about word count and let it end as a novella or novel. I have a zombie apocalypse story I hope to release in the future that I initially intended to be 100 words. It ended at over 10,000!

Writing short fiction is a great exercise. It makes you think about word choices and their importance to the story. I encourage anyone who enjoys writing to give it a shot.

About the Author

Patricia Josephine is a writer of Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance books. She actually never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school and college. Her dreams were of becoming an artist like Picasso. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head for fun. That was the start of her writing journey, and she hasn't regretted a moment. When she's not writing, she's watching Doctor Who or reading about serial killers. She's an avid knitter. One can never have too much yarn. She writes Young Adult Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy under the name Patricia Lynne.

Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.

Social Media Links:

Website: - https://www.patriciajosephine.com

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pjlauthor

Twitter - https://twitter.com/pjlauthor

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pjlauthor

Newsletter - https://www.patriciajosephine.com/newsletter.html

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13460894.Patricia_Josephine

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UH7GAK0

Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/patriciajosephine

Draft 2 Digital - https://books2read.com/ap/xoOZX9/Patricia-Josephine

Harbinger of Betrayal release day!

 

Meet Siobhan Cross, Banshee and Historian.

Learning you’re a banshee is never easy, but the way it happened to Siobhan? It’s an experience that will never leave her.

Growing up an only child of divorced parents, she lived primarily with her overprotective and controlling mother. Siobhan was homeschooled almost half her life. But on her eighteenth birthday, her whole world was torn apart by tragedy and the revelation of her true self.

Picking up the pieces, she moved on and worked to make her father proud. Then, shortly after graduating college, she received a letter inviting her to Pyreshore, New Hampshire to train for one of the covet positions in The Keepers of Knowledge.

Arriving in the picturesque little town, she meets fellow banshee Ethan Hall, and discovers the depth of her talents. But when the pair is sent to Scotland in search of supernatural artifacts, intrigue ensues and Siobhan must risk her life to help uncover a thief. Will her newfound talents be enough to recover the artifacts safely, or will the secrets of her faction be the death of her?

After all, every secret needs a keeper.

10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world.

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

The Keepers of Knowledge series is complete!

Find the books here!

Release day for Blood and Stone (The Keepers of Knowledge #9)

 

Meet Zack Mason, Gargoyle and protector...

Having left his small hometown in Arkansas, Zack roamed from town to town and city to city, looking for purpose and a place to put his abilities to good use. While taking a job in D.C., he gets the letter: A literal embossed invitation to take one of the most coveted seats with the Keepers of Knowledge, a faction in the small town of Pyreshore, New Hampshire. Keepers, by their very name, research and defend the artifacts of the supernatural world's histories.

What he finds there is a bit more than just a job. When the town is threatened, Zack finds out how much the strength of his bloodline that flows within him will drive him to not only protect the town, but also the friends he makes and the love he finds.

When the blood rises, only stone can hold back the tide.

After all, every secret needs a keeper.

10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world.

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

Curse of the Hunted Release Day!

 

Meet Akila Levesque, Sphynx...

Akila's well-ordered world has fallen apart. Her delinquent brother, Cairo is the only family she has left after their mother's death. When she receives the letter from the High Council of the Supernatural to become a Keeper, she believes this could be a fresh start for both of them.

But the moment Akila presents a family heirloom to give to the Keepers as her part of her initiation, everything erupts into chaos as the cracked Egyptian statuette runs away. Corrupted by its broken aura, the rogue artifact hunts Akila in the ghost riddled seaside town.

It's doesn't help when the gorgeous Chaz Nowiki keeps turning up wherever Akila goes. She doesn't want a gargoyle in shining armor to save her, even when he looks so hot his firefighter's suspenders. Yet even with the help of a powerful guardian, things grow desperate when the relic targets Cairo as well.

Now Akila must risk everything to save her brother. But will that even be enough when she has no idea what it means to be a Keeper or a Sphynx?

"After all, every secret needs a Keeper."

10 books, 10 authors, 10 Keepers, 1 shared world.

BUY THE BOOK HERE!

Add the book to read on Goodreads.

I'm so excited to finally release this book to the world. It's been a marvelous experience working on a shared world series with several other talented authors. I've been reading each book as they're released, and I've been blown away by the stories. On of the big thrills was working with Catherine Stine and creating shared scenes between our protagonists. Indigo (her mermaid) and Akila became best friends!

It was also fun writing about a supernatural being I've never wrote about before. I didn't want to go overboard with the sphynxes, but hopefully I've made them unique enough to be interesting.

Enjoy!

WEP April Challenge - Freedom Morning

 

It's time for Write... Edit... Publish's (WEP) April challenge! WEP is an incredible writing community that supports and encourages writers. Every other month, they do a bloghop writing challenge. For April, the prompt is Freedom Morning by Claude Clark, and the prize will be a 10,000 word critique from me.

If you'd like to participate in the challenge, CLICK HERE and signup. Let the image and topic inspire you and post the piece on your blog/site. All genres are welcome, and please be sure your entry is no longer than one thousand words. Also read the other entries and comment.

I can't wait to read what you all come up with this month!

Good luck to everyone.

Curse of the Hunted Cover Reveal & the Next Keepers of Knowledge Release!

 

Meet Akila Levesque, Sphynx...

And one of the Keepers of Knowledge.

I'm so excited to share with you the cover for my upcoming release! It's purple and blue, my favorite colors. Dark Unicorn Designs created all the fabulous covers for The Keepers of Knowledge series.

Curse of the Hunted is the eighth book in this multi-author shared world series, and it is going to be released in two weeks! Right now, as it is on pre-order, it's only 99c, but the price will go up when it releases.

Pre-order here!

The thrilling seventh book in the series, Ash and Scale released today! Dragons. That's all I need to say.

Meet Dex Long, the last of the dragon shifters.

Or so he thought…

His curiosity piqued when the High Council of the Supernatural summoned him to the quaint little coastal town of Pyreshore, New Hampshire. The secret letter held more than just an offer to become a Keeper of Knowledge, a prestigious title, it held the hope that Dex might finally be able to find others like him. And in turn, a mate.

Being a bachelor wasn’t all that bad on the outside, but it was all a show. With the Council dangling an opportunity for him to learn more about his race, it was hard to ignore. Never did he imagine his journey would lead him to the one woman who could unravel everything, every secret, every hidden treasure, all within her grasp.

In the end he will have to make a choice, hold the secrets, or claim her as his own.

After all, every secret needs a Keeper.

Buy Ash and Scale here!

Silver at Midnight & Secrets of the Mermaid are live!

 The next two books in the thrilling Keepers of Knowledge series are now available!

(Book #5 had a little bit of a technical hiccup. It's all better now!)

Meet Aisling ÓCléirigh, Fae . . .

More specifically . . . a Fae with a secret. And if she’s not careful, it could get her killed.

Once upon a time, a Fae and a human changed the course of the world in ways no one could have predicted. Ways that have left Aisling “Aish” O'Cléirigh with dangerous secrets she’s duty-bound to protect. Her race, her heart, her very life depend on keeping them safe.

Just as Aish begins to think she has everything under control, an invitation arrives at her door. Suddenly, every secret she’s been protecting is in danger of coming to light. The only way to safeguard her skeletons is to accept.

She’s heard whispers about the clandestine society that offers her a position in its ranks, so she anticipates the Cloak and Dagger experience that awaits her in the coastal town of Pyreshore. What she doesn’t anticipate is finding the one person who could expose everything she’s worked to protect.

The stakes are escalating.

Time is running out.

Will her secrets unleash a war that could destroy the supernatural races? Or can she prove herself worthy of being a Keeper of Knowledge? After all, every secret needs a Keeper.

Buy Silver at Midnight here!

Meet Indigo Rain, a beautiful but lonely mermaid.

Regretful of a dark past, she has vowed to remain alone and research ancient merfolk tribes. When she unearths a seabed burial site that even she cannot identify, she shares this with a High Council merfolk historian. But she keeps one shocking secret to herself.

Bay Finley is the flirty, dashing Royal merfolk Keeper assigned to teach Indigo on Pyreshore, a glamoured city of supernaturals tasked with keeping the invaluable knowledge alive. Indigo thinks Bay is a haughty know-it-all. She also thinks he’s dangerously handsome. He’s engaged to Abigail Torrent, a Royal, unlike Indigo. But he’s spending lots of time with Indigo in the lab…

Indigo has three quests:
Uncover the mystery of the burial tablet, resist falling in love, and never, ever reveal her biggest secret, even to the Keepers.

Some secrets heal, some kill. Other secrets change life as we know it.

10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world
Books can be read in any order!

Buy Secrets of the Mermaid here!

My book in this awesome shared world series, Curse of the Hunted, will be released April 12th! I'll have a cover reveal coming up soon. I haven't even seen it yet! I'm so excited.

The Upside Down of Nora Gaines blitz & #giveaway

 

The Upside Down of Nora Gaines
Cathrina Constantine
Publication date: March 5th 2021
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Nora has visions of horrific things. Things that lurk in the shadows and feast on bones. After moving with her mother into an old farmhouse, Nora discovers a blank journal that fills itself with an ominous warning. A cursed beast is coming for her and time is running out. When the blood moon rises, so shall the beast.

Local teen, Rebel, has his own trepidations about the house. His parents, both paranormal scientists, were investigating it when they died under mysterious circumstances. His growing feelings for Nora motivate him to battle the ghosts of his past, if it means keeping her safe.

Allies to turn to enemies. Fiction turns to fact. The past and the present collide. All in an epic battle to claim unfathomable power. Can Nora unlock the secrets buried within the farmhouse in time to save herself and those dear to her from a grisly fate?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Nora liked birds, except when the choirs assembled at the break of dawn outside her window. Slitting one eye she peered into the dimness and grumbled. Ugh! She flipped onto her stomach and burrowed her head underneath her pillow. Drifting into a restive slumber was when she’d experience her crazy daymares. Normally, those frittered into nothingness, but, a few would haunt her… 

 

The beast’s strong fingers clamped the young man’s throat, not to strangle, but to subdue him. Suddenly, he felt bored. The thrill was gone. In spite for his jaded mood, he squeezed the man’s larynx, harder. 

When the young man’s lips parted, to scream or to breathe, a visceral grin spread over the beast. The moment had arrived. The beast opened his mouth, drinking in all of him. But not his soul. His soul he couldn’t claim, only his spirited innocence, and this young man had zilch to quench his addiction.

With the deed accomplished, the beast wasn’t fulfilled as in years past. The unpalatable murdering of innocents lost its flavor, and there was no tolerance for the mundane. “You were too simple,” he grumbled at the young man’s ashen face as it purpled into a death mask, eyes open. “No struggle. No fight. You offered yourself without resistance. What fun is that. Your brother at least provided me incentive.”

He turned to the adjoining twin bed. “Youngsters can surprise me. You were tastier,” he said, peering down at another boy, roughly twelve, brown curls littering the pillow, eyes open, dead. “Fighting until the end. Your spirited demise has strengthened me. Thank you for that.” 

He gathered the boy in his arms, carried him downstairs, and sat him on a chair facing the fireplace. Then the beast repeated his action with the young man, depositing him on the couch, between his sisters. 

Grabbing the iron poker, he revived the flames. He set the poker aside and turned to admire his handiwork. “What a perfect family. You should be happy to spend eternity together on the same day.” Scrutinizing their faces, he reenacted each termination. “Mama in her shawl, and papa in his nightcap. What a hoot.” He readjusted papa’s cap, then swerved to his staged bodies. 

“Demure Louisa, Elizabeth, and wimpy Stephen.” He shelved his hand beneath Stephen’s chin and raised it to speak to the young man. “You were born with a burden of wickedness, and groveled like a cowering worm before me. Pleading I took you anyway which was a grievous error. Your foul spirit embitters my gut even now.” He removed his hand from Stephen’s chin, letting it drop like a lead weight. 

“Lastly, Edward. Ahh, Edward, you did not disappoint. An unsullied spirit.” The beast petted the boy’s hair. “Vulgarity and iniquity I have in abundance.” Forlorn tears bathed the beast’s eyes as if seeking absolution. “You must understand,” he sobbed, grimacing in anguish. “I crave virtue and purity. I need it to survive.” He spread his arms in front of his victims, begging for their forgiveness. 

“I devour spirits. The more chaste the better, and they are hard to come by. Virtues keep my urges at bay.” He browsed his knuckles over Edward’s supple cheek. “My brave boy. Your purity astounded me. To lay down your life to save your family is a gift. Alas, I had already consumed their spirits.”

 The beast’s face distorted into a scribbling mess as if whiffing rotting flesh. 

Performing a flamboyant bow, he said, “Your hospitality was most welcome.” The phantom beast evaporated, leaving in his stead a wisp of vapor.

 

A gasp parted Nora’s lips, snapping open her eyes. Her rapid beating heart slammed against her ribs like a warning mallet. She didn’t or couldn’t move, her body a frigid plank. Her eyes had the capacity to flit about the room, which was now bathed in sunlight.

Author Bio:

I am blessed with a loving family and forever friends. My world revolves around them.

I grew up in the small village of Lancaster, NY, where I married my sweetheart. I'm devoted to raising 5 cherished children, and now my grandchildren.

I love to immerse myself in great books of every kind of genre, which helps me to write purely for entertainment, and hopefully to inspire readers. When not stationed at my computer you can find me in the woods taking long walks with my dog.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

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Meet Elandra Wells, vampire and biochemical engineer.

When Elandra receives an invite from the High Council of Supernaturals to train for a coveted spot within The Keepers of Knowledge faction, she jumps at the chance. After all, the secret program might help the doctor, who hates being a vampire, find the last ingredient to craft a special serum to eradicate her condition. But finding Vlad Dracul’s ring isn’t a simple endeavor. Locating it isn’t the problem. Snatching it while a council member questions her every move makes the task too difficult.

Another obstacle? The sexiest, panty-dropping vampire she’s ever met. Camdyn Pryce. And he doesn’t trust Elandra.

What makes matters worse? Elandra struggles with her desire for Camdyn. Whenever they’re alone, she can barely control herself around him. He seems to be losing the same battle with the lovely doctor as well.

When Camdyn lets down his walls and tells her how he feels, she’s faced with a dilemma—be the doctor who develops a cure for her condition or follow her heart.

Will regaining her humanity be more important than finding love?

After all, every secret needs a Keeper.

10 authors, 10 books, 10 Keepers, 1 shared world.

BUY THE CRIMSON CURE HERE!

New Moon Rising (The Keepers of Knowledge #3) release!

 

Meet Tamsin Grey, witch extraordinaire…

At least, she would be if the High Council would heed her family’s warnings.

For decades her grandmother had tried warning the council that the supernatural races were not safe, especially the witches. She could feel the darkness that haunted the bloodlines, as could Tamsin as she got older.

A hopelessness often troubled Tamsin’s dreams, dreams filled with secrets hidden in the dark wood. Secrets the council had tried to hide. She feared for the witch’s future, as well as the other supernatural races, if she didn’t unravel the dreams meaning. But how?

It wasn’t until three years after her grandmother’s death and a life outside of Pyreshore, New Hampshire that she gets her chance. A letter inviting her to become a Keeper. It was the ticket she needed to bring her home and give her the opportunity to right a wrong so many chose to ignore.

But upon returning she finds that not only will she have to worry about the Witch’s Keeper watching her every move, but also Talon Strohm, son of the witches High Council. Talon tells Tamsin she can trust him but revealing the truth to him could put everything in jeopardy.

Tamsin will have to make a choice, trust Talon or let her only chance to save the witches slip away.

After all, every secret needs a Keeper.

The Keepers of Knowledge Series
10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world.

Buy the book here!

The Darkmoon Descendant (The Keepers of Knowledge #2)

 

Meet Katherine King, Werewolf...
 
Some bloodlines run dark. Some darkness can’t be overcome.
 
For Katherine “Kay” King, that could mean life or death.
 
After losing her werewolf brother, Kay stumbled through a perpetual fog wondering what wrong she had committed so severely against the universe to have her best friend snatched away. It was a loss that left her feeling like she didn’t belong and didn’t have a purpose.
 
Until the day a perplexing letter arrived. An invitation to join a centuries-old assemblage of supernatural creatures charged with maintaining the history of all supernatural races—The Keepers of Knowledge. However, when the letter arrived, so did the nightmares of being hunted by a pack of gray-eyed Alphas hell-bent on collecting a mysterious treasure she possessed.
 
Even accepting the invitation of the Keepers and moving to Pyreshore to train didn’t put an end to the dreams. In fact, day one of training brought her face to face with the eyes that haunted her dreams. Eyes that do something to her in the light of day she doesn’t feel when she closes her eyes to sleep. Eyes she’s certain will be the obstacle she must overcome in her quest to secure her race’s artifact—the one she protects in her dreams. The one tied to a curse that has plagued her family for centuries.
 
Can she trust the man behind those eyes to help her retrieve the artifact and move her bloodline in a new direction? Or will her family’s secret pull her into the darkness as her ancestors before her?

After all, every secret needs a keeper.

10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world.

Buy the book on Amazon!

Happy 2021 and a new release!

 

Cheers to you all!

Here's to a year of love, peace, and compassion.

And books!

The first book in the paranormal romance series, The Keepers of Knowledge, is now available. Echoes in the Bloodline by R.J. Lloyd kicks off a great shared world project. My novel, Curse of the Hunted, will be available on April 12th.

Meet Rowan LaForge, Mimic and former NYC foster kid...

Rowan’s story is an All-American tragedy. One that if Shakespeare were alive and writing today, he’d write one like hers. Orphaned at a young age, growing up in the foster care system in the NYC area. Bounced around until she discovered she had the ability to shift to look like another human…

Oh wait. Did I say Shakespeare? I mean King. Or maybe Koontz. Meyer? Well, either way, that’s where her story took a turn. Facing having to come to terms with the fact that those were not just bedtime stories her parents had told her before they passed, she has to learn what she is and how to harness it. And just when she thinks she’s got a handle on her life? She gets a letter.

Dear Rowan LaForge,

This letter will change her entire life… and her world. As she’s thrust into the world of supernatural beings, she also learns a great deal about who and what she is, where she comes from and… well? Lee. She learns about Lee McKinnon. And that aspect of her life alone is worth it all.

After all, every secret needs a keeper.

10 books, 10 authors, 10 keepers, 1 shared world.

Buy the book!

It's 99c for 3 days only!

And meet all the new Keepers in the introduction book, Arriving in Pyreshore, for FREE!